An Israel-based American influencer has received widespread criticism after highlighting her struggle to find gluten-free flour during the conflict with Hamas.
Jazzie, who goes by @theisraelbites on Instagram and TikTok, shared a clip on her social media platforms that showed her trying to make “gluten-free celiac safe food” after she “heard there was a major shortage… at army bases on the other side of the world . the country’.
The Jewish travel blogger, who moved to Israel from the US in 2018, worked with a gluten-free bakery in Jerusalem “to make sure those soldiers were fed.”
In the clip, titled ‘A day in my life, Israel is at war edition’, she chronicled her struggle to find enough gluten-free flour before eventually discovering more in a supermarket storeroom – yet the complaint has sparked widespread criticism.
Commenting on the video, a TikTok user said, “I see a lot of people on the internet who I feel are completely out of touch with reality, but this for me, I think this takes the cake.
Jazzie (pictured), who goes by @theisraelbites on Instagram and TikTok, shared a clip on her social media platforms showing how she tried to make “gluten-free food for celiac disease” after she “heard there was a major shortage… army bases in the entire country’
“If your biggest problem in wartime is making gluten-free bagels and you can happily run around town looking for gluten-free ingredients, that means you’re not at war.
‘You are at war when you cannot find clean drinking water, you have no electricity and there is no food at all. F*** if it’s gluten free or not. Do better, that was disgusting.”
Others compared Jazzie’s video – shared four days ago – to a clip from a Palestinian filmmaker in Gaza who claimed her “water share for the entire day is 500 ml.”
“It must be exhausting fighting hungry people without gluten-free bread,” one person wrote in response to Jazzie’s video.
Another said: ‘She doesn’t have gluten-free bread. YOU GUYS, it’s a crisis!,” while a third wrote: “No gluten free flour USA No water, food or electricity. How can you compare this?’
Following the backslash, Jazzie took to her Instagram page to explain that she would be taking a “short break” from social media.
She wrote today: ‘To everyone who sends me videos of me appearing. I appreciate the thought, but I’d rather not see it.
“My most recent video is on the wrong side of the internet and I’m trying to avoid the hate and horrible comments. Please report what you see and in the meantime I’ll take a short break from socials.’
The Jewish travel blogger, who moved to Israel from the US in 2018, worked with a gluten-free bakery in Jerusalem ‘to make sure those soldiers were fed’
In the segment, titled ‘A day in my life, Israel is at war edition’, she chronicled her struggle to find enough gluten-free flour before finally discovering more in a supermarket storeroom – yet the complaint has resulted in widespread criticism ( photo )
It comes after US President Joe Biden arrived in Israel in a diplomatic effort to prevent the war with Hamas from turning into an even bigger conflict.
The challenge he faces became more difficult as outrage swept through the Middle East over an explosion that killed hundreds of people at a hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Biden was originally scheduled to visit Jordan as well, but his meetings with Arab leaders were called off as he left Washington, costing him the opportunity for the face-to-face talks he sees as crucial.
Now his only stop will be Tel Aviv, where he is expected to push for allowing crucial humanitarian aid to Gaza during meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel has been preparing for a possible ground invasion of Gaza in response to the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,400 Israelis.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One that Biden “wants to get a sense from the Israelis about the situation on the ground” and will “ask some tough questions.” “He’ll ask them as a friend,” Kirby added.
The president also plans to meet with Israeli first responders and the families of those killed and hostages taken when Hamas invaded Israel.
About 2,800 Palestinians have reportedly been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. Another 1,200 people are believed to be buried under the rubble, alive or dead, health authorities said.
These figures predate the explosion at al-Ahli hospital on Tuesday. No clear cause for the explosion has been identified.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said an Israeli airstrike caused the destruction. The Israeli military denies involvement and blames a failed missile by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group. But that organization also rejected responsibility.
Biden said in a statement that he was “outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted.”
He also said he had “directed my national security team to continue gathering information on exactly what happened.”
Protests swept the region after the deaths at the hospital, which treated wounded Palestinians and protected many more seeking refuge from the fighting.
Commenting on the video, a TikTok user (pictured) said: ‘I see a lot of people on the internet who I feel are completely out of touch with reality, but this takes the cake for me’
Response: “It must be exhausting fighting hungry people without gluten-free bread,” someone wrote in response to Jazzie’s video.
Following the backslash, Jazzie took to her Instagram page to explain that she would be taking a “short break” from social media
Hundreds of Palestinians flooded the streets of major West Bank cities, including Ramallah. More people joined the protests that broke out in Beirut, Lebanon, and Amman, Jordan, where an angry crowd gathered outside the Israeli embassy.
Outrage over the hospital explosion scuppered Biden’s plans to visit Jordan, where King Abdullah II planned to host meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. But Mr Abbas withdrew in protest, and the summit was subsequently canceled outright.
Mr Kirby said Jordan declared three days of mourning after the hospital explosion and that Mr Biden understood the move and was part of a “mutual” decision to cancel the Jordan leg of his trip.
He said the president would have an opportunity to speak by phone with Arab leaders when he returns to Washington.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told a state television network that the war is “pushing the region to the brink.”
There are also fears that a new front could break out along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah is active. The Iranian-backed organization has been fighting skirmishes with Israeli forces.
Biden’s trip will test the limits of US influence in the Middle East at a volatile time.
It is his second trip to a conflict zone this year, after a visit to Ukraine in February to show solidarity with the country in its fight against the Russian invasion.
His visit to Israel coincides with growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza, where Israel has cut off the flow of food, fuel and water. Mediators are struggling to break the impasse over delivering supplies to desperate citizens, aid groups and hospitals.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, torn between Arab and Israeli leadership ahead of Biden’s visit, spent seven and a half hours in meetings in Tel Aviv on Monday in an effort to broker some kind of aid deal and arrived at forward with a green message. light to develop a plan on how aid can enter Gaza and be distributed to civilians.
“We’re optimistic that we can get some humanitarian assistance,” Kirby said.
Although on the surface this was only a modest achievement, US officials emphasized that Mr Blinken’s talks led to a significant change in Israel’s position that Gaza would remain cut off from fuel, electricity, water and other vital supplies.
US officials said it has become clear that the already limited Arab tolerance of Israel’s military operations will disappear completely if conditions in Gaza deteriorate.
Their analysis predicted that an outright condemnation of Israel by Arab leaders would not only be a boon for Hamas but would likely embolden Iran to step up its anti-Israel activities, heightening fears that a regional conflagration could erupt.